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This Weeks Poll.. What do YOU do at Summer Camp?

Summer camp is a fantastic experience for the Scouts of your Troop. But that does not mean it can’t be fun the adults that go too. Each year we take our Scouts to camp. We limit the amount of Adults, after all, this is a program for the Scouts, but the three or four adults that do go get to have a wonderful time in camp also.
But what do you do when you are at camp. This weeks poll gives you a few choices that came off the top of my head after many years hanging out at camp.
Here is typically what I do.
First.. always take a good book.
Second… Stay out of the Scouts way. Be there to sign books and blue cards. Cheer them on when they play games, and have a smile on my face every day. But camp is for them.. leave them alone to hang out. We always make it a point to take the tents the furthest away from the patrols and in lots of cases use the back doors if they face into the camp. We want them to work the patrol method at camp and part of that is the interaction that takes place when they are playing and yeah I’ll say it.. screwing around.
And finally, I like to participate in adult programs that are offered. One of our camps takes all the Scoutmasters on a Horse back ride. A few of the camps offer adult swims and lunches.
By and large my week at camp is to provide support when needed and a great week to relax and take a break. Most days you will find me at the water front with a good book just taking in the sun.
So what do you do at camp? Let me know, leave a comment. Better yet.. use the SMMVoice mail line and tell me, it may end up in the next podcast! 503-308-8297. Lets hear about your week in camp!Have a Great Scouting Day!

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7 comments

I have to say, the other thing I do while at camp is to provide service. The camp ranger always has a to-do list of things that he just doesn’t have time to get to. Last year we built a new erosion table for the nature area, stained the deck on the med shack, painted the front porch on a staff cabin, and did odds and ends repairs. The camp staff loved it.
We’re headed to a new camp next week, so I’m excited to see what they have to offer for the adults.

Camp Cornhusker has a wonderful Trail to First Class opportunity for the new scouts. Older leaders help teach TTFC in the morning and possibly help new leaders learn the TTFC basics in the afternoon. After the first day the new leaders help teach TTFC to the young scouts in the morning. We have a special night time hike our troop goes on, a few leaders go out while the scouts are working on Merit Badges and clear the trail. Camp has about 10 geo-caches scattered about. Some can be quite trying to locate as under canopy and hidden. Camp has a hollow garden gnome hidden someplace new every day. Stay up to too late talking around the fire. Try to find it and sign the log book hidden inside. 9 hole Frisbee golf course always open. 5 mile hike with the TTFC class through native meadows and areas that are not normal program areas. Take pictures of the scouts at various activities. Sing silly songs after meals in the mess hall. Nighttime cat-eye orienteering course. Star Gaze – watch for shooting stars. Service Projects. If space available adults can join in some COPE activities. Mountain Boards (think cross country skate board). Swimming, cooking. In addition to helping scouts sign off on requirements, help scouts work on merit badges other than those the camp offers, play chess, read a book. If time allows take a ride on the flying squirrel. There was a new water trampoline setup in the lake but a critter ate a hole in it. Eat the Banana at the end of the relay race. Do some whittling round the campfire. One kid had a bad foot, help re-lash the rickshaw again… Watch the wonderful campfire program put on by the scouts. All in all last week was a very full week. I did all but four of the above activities.

Where is the ALL OF THE ABOVE? As a Scoutmaster I am very busy at Summer Camp and find time for the hammock. I do a ton of Scoutmaster Conferences, have lots of sit downs with various (if not all) Scouts at one point in the week. I get on the ones that sleep in the tent all day instead of going to class and I assist the SPL or PLC in whatever they need me to do.

I participate OR teach in several Adult Program Areas, hang with the other Scoutmasters in the SM Lounge, get to know the Camp Staff. And sit in a rocker outside the dinning hall for part of the day and just relax. Plus my scouts know they can find me in the hour before dinner in my hammock. That’s why there is always a chair next to it at all times.

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"There are little things in life that helps to ‘center us’, and one of those was your blog. I am feeling more fulfilled now! Glad you are back" - Nate
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Jerry, you’re an excellent communicator, you have a very experienced and level headed view of Scouting and you definitely are a great example of a servant leader. Seriously, I think you should be working for BSA National - Trent